Johannesburg - The Opel has often been described by motoring writers as the most ideal car for female drivers, particularly those who are rightly concerned about fuel consumption, reliability and maneuverability.

Not to say that men should not drive this gem of a car.

The smaller Opels are endowed with a fairly few virtues but for some reason – perhaps because it is considered a Euro-American brand and not a blueblood German thoroughbred – its appeal has never really caught on in Southern Africa.

Whatever, the more recent models emanating from Russelsheim have much to recommend them and the version I recently test-drove, the Corsa 1.4 Essentia five-door, is more than competitive in the small car segment.

Whereas Corsas of a few years back had something of a Noddy-car look to them, this latest hatchback looks much more substantial.

In profile, it sports a cabin-forward profile which means it has a huge, steeply sloped windscreen and rather logically, a deep dashboard.

The reverse angle of the C-pillar and its chunky execution has become Opel hallmarks as have the swept-back headlamps and large rear-lamps that wrap around the flanks. Body-colour bumpers add to the smart appearance but plain black door-handles look a little low rent and could put off buyers who want something that looks a bit classier. The paintwork, in the case of the car I drove, was a rather pleasing shade of pale silver that was nicely applied. It was blemish-free and showed off a good gloss.

Inside, the aforementioned large expanse of dashboard catches the eye and gives an enhanced impression of space which in reality is probably about average for the class.

Finished in a near-inevitable shade of black, the interior is neatly trimmed but hardly warm and inviting because most of the plastic claddings are rather hard, just as you’d expect in this class.

They are however, enhanced with a grained pattern and the smart seat fabric features a pale, flecked design which breaks up the monotony. A warped cubbyhole lid was the only item to catch my eye for the wrong reasons.

The seats offer good support and are comfortable at the same time, thanks to adequate adjustability which also ensures a good driving position in relation to the pedals and movable steering wheel.

The gear lever also falls easily to hand and is connected to a five speed box that offers a reasonably slick if slightly mechanical action.

On the move, the Corsa is endowed with a surprisingly solid feel and a complete absence of irritating squeaks and rattles. In fact, the suspension and the handling are top notch for this class.

The ride is firm without ever feeling harsh, body roll is well controlled and the steering feel and effort is exceptionally well judged.

As a driving machine, the Corsa really is pleasing but the test car suffered from an irritation which may just be unique to this unit. The throttle featured a dead spot in the initial part of its travel

which meant that when the engine did respond, it did so with a small jerk that was especially evident when reapplying the throttle after having completely backed off.

It all points to an electronic throttle control that is not responding quickly enough to movements of the pedal itself.

The 1400 motor, which is credited with producing 74 kW, spins smoothly and with an acceptably low decibel count which means that an indicated 130 km/h (roughly 4 000 rpm) on an open road is easily maintained.

Acceleration is lively but given that the car was tested at sea level, the snappiness may be a trifle blunted at Harare’s altitude, especially with a load on board.

Rear-seat passengers should not expect lounging space in this class of vehicle, but the quarters are not exactly cramped and benefit from surprisingly generous headroom.

Occupants will also enjoy effective air conditioning as well as the convenience of remote central locking and electric windows and a simple-to-use sound system. A full-size spare wheel is also an unusual bonus but this does mean the expandable luggage area is a trifle shallow.

Under the bonnet, all ancillaries fall easily to hand but the alternator seems to be buried somewhere in the depths.

My other bête noire is the fitment of a bonnet support rod in place of a hydraulic strut, but in this case, the prop is very compact and situated where it is well out of the way by the bulkhead.

The best feature of the Corsa is the way it drives, handles and steers. It also feels sturdy so all the sensual impressions are just fine.